Hospital's New Memorial Music Garden Offers a Restful Intergenerational Gathering Space for Patients, Residents and Staff

Located in the heart of a 17-hectare wooded park bordered by the Seine, the Bar-sur-Seine hospital near Troyes, France, has seen its care significantly evolve over the years. Today, the hospital, which mainly focuses on palliative and senior care, has several outdoor musical instruments that serve as a tribute to the memory of Dr. Christian Braun, a much-loved General Practitioner who dedicated his life to the hospital and the wider community.

Dr Braun's love of music inspired the idea to create a music garden, built on a plot of hospital land adjacent to the multidisciplinary health house and next to a soon-to-be-built nursery.

The hospital staff, including doctors, nurses, caregivers, and management, collaborated with Thomas Schmutz from Percussion Play France and urban landscape architect O'Lien, to create a garden. The city of Bar Sur Seine and the Barséquanais community provided financial support for the project.

With recycled furniture, the garden includes perennials, grasses, and shrubs, including an arch that opens onto the landscaped area. At the heart of the garden is a ginkgo biloba, a large tree with fan-shaped leaves. The tree symbolizes unity, hope, eternity, and long life. Directly connected to the city, the garden fosters intergenerational gatherings with local residents using the space to walk and rest. With Thomas's help, the instruments were carefully chosen so everyone could enjoy them, regardless of disabilities and body type.

Instruments include Rainbow Bongos, Harmony Flowers, and Rainbow Chimes, which are durable, colorful, and easy to clean. They create calm and beautiful music, causing little noise for patients and residents. The instruments are pentatonically tuned, so there is no 'wrong note' – whichever way you play the instruments, the sound is harmonious. These instruments pay tribute to Dr. Braun's passion for music and are helping to create a sense of harmony at the Bar-sur-Seine hospital.

About Percussion Play France

Percussion Play France is owned and managed by Thomas Schmutz. Since its inception in 2020, the company has worked on close to 200 outdoor musical projects. These projects have been very diverse and include installations in parks, senior living centers, family attractions, hospitals, schools, and residential homes for disabled individuals.

Percussion Play France has worked alongside many French municipalities and prestigious organizations such as the Institute for the Blind. Their work has helped to add a touch of harmony to various public spaces and has been well-received by the communities they serve. As the owner and manager of Percussion Play France, Thomas collaborates with urban project teams across France to revitalize existing parks and playgrounds.

The company's mission is to create unique and engaging outdoor musical experiences that are accessible to all, regardless of age or ability. Percussion Play France is committed to promoting outdoor musical play as a way to bring people together and enhance the quality of life in communities across France.